Chiefs and 49ers Top List of 2014 Pro Bowl Picks

Pro Bowl Is January 26 at 7:00 PM ET From Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii

For the first time, the Pro Bowl will be “unconferenced.” Gone is the familiar AFC vs. NFC match-up that has existed since 1971. Instead, players were selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players.

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers placed a league-best eight players each in the Pro Bowl, which will be held prior to the Super Bowl for the fifth consecutive year.

The Pro Bowl players were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counted one-third toward determining the 86 Pro Bowl selections announced today. Two additional “need” players will be chosen by each head coach and must be long snappers. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams.

As part of the new format, players will be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft, which will air on Wednesday, January 22 on NFL Network (8:00 PM ET). Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE and DEION SANDERS will serve as alumni team captains for their Pro Bowl squads – Team Rice and Team Sanders – and have final say over draft decisions. The NFL legends will each be assisted by two active player captains and one NFL.com fantasy football champion in the draft process.

Completing the backfield at the fullback position are Oakland’s MARCEL REECE (2nd) and Carolina’s MIKE TOLBERT (1st).

The eight wide receivers selected as All Stars are ANTONIO BROWN of Pittsburgh (2nd), DEZ BRYANT of Dallas (1st), JOSH GORDON of Cleveland (1st), A.J. GREEN of Cincinnati (3rd), ANDRE JOHNSON of Houston (7th), CALVIN JOHNSON of Detroit (4th), BRANDON MARSHALL of Chicago (5th) and DEMARYIUS THOMAS of Denver (2nd). Brown was also selected as one of the two punt returners, joining Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson (2010 Pro Bowl) as the only players to be named to the Pro Bowl team at two different positions in the same season.

On the offensive line, the six guards are JAHRI EVANS (5th) and BEN GRUBBS (2nd) of New Orleans, MIKE IUPATI of San Francisco (2nd), LOGAN MANKINS of New England (6th), LOUIS VASQUEZ of Denver (1st) and MARSHAL YANDA of Baltimore (3rd).

The six tackles are BRANDEN ALBERT of Kansas City (1st), JASON PETERS of Philadelphia (6th), TYRON SMITH of Dallas (1st), JOE STALEY of San Francisco (3rd), JOE THOMAS of Cleveland (7th) and TRENT WILLIAMS of Washington (2nd).

Filling out the defensive line are interior linemen GERALD MC COY of Tampa Bay (2nd), HALOTI NGATA of Baltimore (5th), DONTARI POE of Kansas City (1st), JUSTIN SMITH of San Francisco (5th), NDAMUKONG SUH of Detroit (3rd) and KYLE WILLIAMS of Buffalo (3rd).

The four inside linebackers for the 2014 Pro Bowl feature two San Francisco 49ers in NA VORRO BOWMAN (2nd) and PATRICK WILLIS (7th). They’re joined by Cincinnati’s VONTAZE BURFICT (1st) and Carolina’s LUKE KUECHLY (1st).

The six outside linebackers selected as All Stars include two Kansas City Chiefs in TAMBA HALI (3rd) and JUSTIN HOUSTON (2nd). Joining them are Arizona’s JOHN ABRAHAM (5th), San Francisco’s AHMAD BROOKS (2nd), Indianapolis’ ROBERT MATHIS (5th) and Baltimore’s TERRELL SUGGS (6th).

Eight cornerbacks were named to the 2014 Pro Bowl. They are BRANDON FLOWERS of Kansas City (1st), BRENT GRIMES of Miami (2nd), JOE HADEN of Cleveland (1st), PATRICK PETERSON of Arizona (3rd), DARRELLE REVIS of Tampa Bay (5th), RICHARD SHERMAN of Seattle (1st), AQIB TALIB of New England (1st) and ALTERRAUN VERNER of Tennessee (1st).

The secondary is completed by three strong safeties and three free safeties. The All Stars at strong safety are Kansas City’s ERIC BERRY (3rd), Seattle’s KAM CHANCELLOR (2nd) and Pittsburgh’s TROY POLAMALU (8th). The free safeties named to the 2014 Pro Bowl are Buffalo’s JAIRUS BYRD (3rd), Seattle’s EARL THOMAS (3rd) and San Diego’s ERIC WEDDLE (2nd).

On special teams, the punt returners are Pittsburgh’s Brown and Kansas City’s DEXTER MC CLUSTER (1st). The special teamers are JUSTIN BETHEL of Arizona (1st) and MATTHEW SLATER of New England (3rd). Miami’s BRANDON FIELDS (1st) and St. Louis’ JOHNNY HEKKER (1st) are the Pro Bowl punters. MATT PRATER of Denver (1st) and JUSTIN TUCKER of Baltimore (1st) will handle the kicking duties.